Each Generation Has Similar Experiences, So What’s New?

In my latest book, Every Generation Needs a New Revolution, I quote American educator and author, Ms. Eda J. Le Shan, who said, “In all our efforts to provide ‘advantages,’ we have actually produced the busiest, most competitive, highly pressured, and over-organized generation of youngsters in our history.” The most surprising thing about this quote is that Ms. Le Shan said it in 1922.

Let’s go back even further with the following quote: “I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words. When I was boy, we were taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise and impatient of restraint.” Okay, the wording is a bit strange, but haven’t you heard someone say something similar recently? Believe it or not, Hesoid, the father of Greek didactic poetry, said this circa 700 BC.

Right or Wrong?

Every generation believes themselves to be right. They believe that their values, ethics and morals are the right (and therefore the only) ones to follow. They believe their manner of speaking, their attire and their attitude toward life is the only correct way to live. And, every generation that follows will do everything humanly possible to prove their elders wrong.
Yes, it’s a dilemma as old as time, and apparently something that isn’t going to change anytime soon. As I travel the country speaking about generational challenges and possible solutions, I find the younger generations are somewhat more open to the idea of change than are the more mature folks. (How’s that for politically correct?)

My mature audience make statements such as: “They just won’t listen to what I’m telling them I want done.”

My younger audiences are more likely to ask questions such as: “I want to work with her, but there just doesn’t seem to be a way to talk openly. How can I communicate with my manager who is 20 years older than me?”

Is it any wonder the Xers view the Boomers as uncommunicative, as never really getting to the point? Niké ran an ad some time ago that said, “Don’t insult our intelligence. Tell us what it is, what it does, and don’t play the national anthem while you do it.”

Communication Across the Generations

What does that tell us about the need to learn cross-generational communication skills? William James, American psychologist and philosopher (1842-1910) said, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind.” Perhaps we just need to open our minds to the idea that over time not much really changes. We all experience various stages in life that our parents and grandparents experienced before us – and that our children will experience after us.

Yes, the technology may be new, the methods of getting a job done may be different, but human nature will never change. At some point in our lives, we all become our parents. As emerging youth, we feel the need to energetically flaunt our individualism. As we age, we marry and have children and are so caught up in making the mortgage payment, we lose that energy. As we approach retirement, we begin to look at what’s behind us and what’s ahead. We say things like, “the world is going to hell in a hand basket and these kids will be the ruination of us yet.” But pause for just a minute. Put yourself in these kids’ shoes and think back – isn’t that the same thing your parents said when you were young?